The North News
Chandigarh, December 19
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of trying to weaken the livelihoods of the poor and labourers by making changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In a post on social media, Mann said the proposed changes were an attempt to “extinguish the hearths” of poor households by reducing employment security under the rural jobs scheme. He said the Punjab government would convene a special session of the state legislative assembly in the second week of January to raise the concerns of Punjabis and oppose what he described as the Centre’s “high-handed” approach. Several opposition-ruled states have criticised the Centre over funding patterns and implementation of the new scheme.
